The Pittsburgh Penguins have solidified their roster by signing forward Hendrix Lapierre to a two-year contract, as announced by President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas. The deal, which carries an average annual value of $1.3 million, will keep Lapierre with the team through the 2027-28 season.
At just 24 years old, Lapierre spent the previous season with the Washington Capitals, where he played 74 games and recorded four goals and 12 assists, totaling 16 points. Over the past five seasons in the Capitals organization, he has developed through both the NHL and their AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears. In 158 career NHL games, Lapierre has notched 13 goals and 34 assists for 47 points. His breakout came during the 2023-24 season, where he achieved career highs with eight goals and 14 assists in 51 games.
Lapierre’s success extends beyond the NHL, as he is a two-time Calder Cup Champion, having won the title in 2023 and 2024. In the AHL, he has played 113 games, scoring 27 goals and adding 52 assists for 79 points. His playoff prowess was evident during the Bears’ championship run in 2024, where he was named Playoffs MVP after tallying a remarkable 22 points, including seven goals and 15 assists.
Originally drafted in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Capitals, Lapierre was acquired by the Penguins last week in a trade that involved third and fifth-round picks. With this signing, the Penguins still have six more restricted free agents to address, including Egor Chinakhov and Arturs Silovs, while holding approximately $27 million in cap space, providing ample flexibility for future roster moves.
Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.
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